All members and fans are invited to attend a box social, er, I mean the first annual SCS National Meeting which will be held in conjunction with the San Diego Comic Con 2003 in San Diego, California.

The convention runs from Wednesday July 16 (Preview Night) through Sunday July 20 at the San Diego Convention Center; the National Meeting / Second Anniversary Bash will be held on the evening of Saturday July 19 at the nearby Rock Bottom Brewery restaurant.

SDCC 2002 Meetup

Simpsons creator Matt Groening will be on hand at the convention, celebrating the 10 year anniversary of Bongo Comics featuring the Simpsons, Futurama and Radioactive Man.

At the meeting and con, you will have an opportunity to meet fellow SCS members, Simpsons fans and members of the SCS staff including: Mark (markwars1972), Jonathan (phalen180), Jeremy (blueduck37), James (jmurray3), Michael (Michael Crawford MWC), Nicole (spanikopita), Kevin (Ham Salad) and David (meester sparkle).

In addition to the meeting, there will be "meetups" and events at the convention. See the schedule below for more info. NOTE: All meetups will take place at the Playmates Toys booth, unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, July 17:

• Meetups: 1pm & 6pm
  Meet with fellow SCS members at the Playmates Toys booth to chat for a few minutes and then enjoy the convention together.

Friday, July 18:

• Meetup: 1pm
  Meet with fellow SCS members at the Playmates Toys booth to chat for a few minutes and then enjoy the convention together.
• Bongo Comics Panel: 4-5:30pm, Room 16AB
• Meetup: 6pm
  Meet with fellow SCS members at the Playmates Toys booth to chat for a few minutes and then enjoy the convention together.

Saturday, July 19:

• Meetup: 11am
  Meet with fellow SCS members at the Playmates Toys booth to chat for a few minutes and then enjoy the convention together.
• Futurama Panel: 12-1pm, Room 6CDEF
• The Simpsons Panel: 1-2pm, Room 6CDEF
• Simpsons Collecting Panel - "Oh, I've Wasted My Life!": 3:30pm-4:30pm, Room 16AB
  Confirmed panel members:
  • Playmates Toys
  • Sideshow Toys
  • Rocket USA
  • Carmella Johns (Fox Animation Art)
  • Mark Lindsey (markwars1972)
  
  With representatives from various manufacturers, big time collectors, web site owners, and show insiders, this is your chance to ask those hard hitting questions about the merchandise you love to spend insane amounts of money on. Representatives from Playmates Toys, Rocket USA, and Sideshow Toys, along with several well known collectors, web site representatives, and some special insiders will be present to chat in a round table forum about anything and everything related to Simpsons merchandise, and that obsession of collecting we share.

  From the SDCC official site:
  3:30–4:30 "Oh, I've Wasted My Life:" Collecting Simpsons Merchandise— Do you crave those little pieces of yellow plastic? If so, this panel is for you! This is your chance to ask those hard-hitting questions about the merchandise you love to spend insane amounts of money on. Representatives from toy licensees, along with several well known collectors and website representatives, will chat in a roundtable forum about anything and everything related to Simpsons merchandise. The panel members include Michael Crawford, panel moderator, Simpsons Collector Sector company liaison; Brant Bridges, Sideshow Toys (makers of Simpsons busts); Pat Linden, Playmates Toys (makers of World of Springfield action figures); Carmella Jones, director, Fox Studio Art; Cesar Vargas, Rocket USA (makers of Simpsons tin items); Mark Lindsay, chieftain for Simpsons Collector Sector; Mark Tarses, owner of Sunway Co, online retailer of a wide variety of Simpsons merchandise; and Bill Morrison, Bongo Comics. Room 16AB
  (*Note: The rep from Bongo Comics will no longer be attending)

• On-Site Meeting: 4:30pm-5:30pm, Room 19
  Meet and gab with fellow collectors - possible trivia contest / prizes TBD.
  From the SDCC official site:
  4:30–5:30 The Simpsons Collectors Sector Meet & Greet— Take some time to come meet the other Simpsons collectors that you see on the message boards. This gathering is a great chance to network with other Simpsons collectors from across the country and share your hobby with others. Room 16AB

• Meetup: 6pm (at the Playmates Toys booth)
• Second Anniversary Bash / National Meeting: 7pm
  Rock Bottom Brewery Restaurant
  Get your geek on with the other SCS members at the first National Meeting / Second Anniversary Bash!

Sunday, July 20:

• Meetup: 2pm
  Meet with fellow SCS members at the Playmates Toys booth to chat for a few minutes and then enjoy the convention together.

We had a great time meeting up with other SCS members last year. We hope this year will be 1000 times better!

Last year we participated in an action figure website panel. This year it's all Simpsons, baby!